The territory of modern Ukraine has been inhabited since 32,000 BC. During the Middle Ages, the area was a key centre of East Slavic culture, with the powerful state of Kievan Rus' forming the basis of Ukrainian identity. Following its fragmentation in the 13th century, the territory was contested, ruled and divided by a variety of powers, including Lithuania, Poland, the Ottoman Empire, Austria-Hungary, and Russia. A Cossack republic emerged and prospered during the 17th and 18th centuries, but its territory was eventually split between Poland and the Russian Empire, and later submerged fully into Russia. Two brief periods of independence occurred during the 20th century, once near the end of World War I and another during World War II, but both occasions would ultimately see Ukraine's territories conquered and consolidated into a Soviet republic, a situation that persisted until 1991, when Ukraine gained its independence from the Soviet Union in the aftermath of its dissolution at the end of the Cold War.

Ukrainian wine

History

A wine culture existed in today's Ukraine. Wine cultivation is in the northern part of the country (around Kiev and Chernihiv), dating back to the 11th century. Since 2000 the production as well as the export of the wines increased rapidly.

Specialised trade fairs

Ukraine (sports society)

Ukraine (sports society) is a physical culture and sports association of Ukraine.

History

At the end of eighties (1987) the former sports associations of trade unions "Avanhard", "Burevestnik", "Vodnik", "Zenit", "Kolos", "Lokomotiv", and "Spartak" were united into the All-Union volunteer physical culture and sports association of trade unions (VDFSTP). After several years "Kolos" has separated from it and in 1991 VDFSTP was reorganized into the sports association of trade unions "Ukraine".